Auroville's monthly news magazine since 1988
Feb 2018 (92 months ago) Download PDF (free download)
A public letter — Reported by Shri Ram Nath Kovind
On the occasion of its 50th anniversary, the Hon’ble President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind honoured Auroville with this message, which captures the essence of the vision of Auroville as reflecting “our quest for achieving oneness in diversity
In-depth feature — Authored by Mandakini, Aryadeep and Sigrid
“The procurement of land for Auroville is the most urgent priority in order to ensure the future of the project in its original spirit,” says Sauro Mezzetti, member of the Working Committee and former overall coordinator of L’Avenir d’Auroville. “In the last few years, several private real estate or commercial developments have taken place. Auroville is meant to be a very special social and physical space and if this market trend is not reversed, it may really hamper and compromise our social experiment. Accelerating land procurement, especially in critical areas, is the best way to ensure protection and is an urgent task that cannot be deferred.”
A conversation with Gérard Maréchal, Janaka and François Gautier — Conversation led by Alan
In March, 2015, we interviewed three Aurovilians, Gérard Maréchal, Janaka and François Gauthier, who had journeyed to Auroville in the first caravan in 1969, to learn more about the caravan story. On the eve of Auroville’s 50th anniversary, we spoke to them again to find out what these early comers felt about Mother’s passing, about the Auroville of today and future possibilities.
A personal reflection — Authored by Bindu
Bindu reflects upon Auroville as a social experiment.
A point of view — Authored by Gijs
A conversation with — Conversation led by Alan
The Sustainable Livelihood Institute (SLI) is a joint project of the Government of Tamil Nadu and Auroville to promote rural development based on the principles of sustainable development . It began running programmes three years ago. We talked to the Director, Ramasubramanian (Ram), for an update on its activities and its impact.
In-depth feature — Authored by Manas
When the Oxford English Dictionary adds a new term, it’s time to sit up and take notice. In 2015, the term “sharing economy” was added to the dictionary with the following definition: “sharing economy: (n.): an economic system in which assets or services are shared between private individuals, either for free or for a fee, typically by means of the internet”.
Walk of Hope On the initiative of the Auroville units Restorative Auroville, Prisma, Auroville Village Action and Aikyam School, Auroville hosted a Walk of Hope for Peace and Human Unity to spread the message of oneness, inclusion and respect among Aurovilians and the village communities around Auroville on January 28th and 29th...
Savitri around the World The continuous reading of Sri Aurobindo’s epic poem Savitri will start in the Savitri Bhavan, Sangam Hall on Monday 19...
A tribute to
On January 19th Chris Gray left his body in his Yantra after suffering a stroke. He was 75 years old. Chris first arrived in Auroville in the early seventies, travelling overland in his blue Mercedes van. On reaching Promesse, he said he suddenly perceived a difference in the atmosphere which he later identified as the atmosphere specific to Auroville. During his first ten years in Auroville, besides stewarding the land, he also started a first bread and biscuit bakery with Thomas (of Gratitude) in Aspiration and, together with Larry, Sundaram and Roy set up an oil drum oven in a Palmyra grove in Kottakkarai to create a bakery that made whole grain breads. Together with Jack Alexander, he also started and ran the first bike repair facility at Abri and trained local boys to twist wrenches on Raleigh and Atlas bikes. Having teamed up with Jocelyn B, the couple went temporarily back to the USA in 1982. In the States, Chris was offered a job in marble work, a profession and knowledge that turned out to be of crucial importance when the marble work at Matrimandir began. Chris traveled many times to advise the Matrimandir team on the quality and particulars of the marble needed, taught them how to cut and clean it, and worked with the team for months at a time. In 2001 he returned to Auroville for good and worked as a much appreciated massage therapist in Quiet. He also instituted a “Bike Repair Kiosk” near the Solar Kitchen to make simple repair needs available to the two wheeled converts to cycling in Auroville. A small video clip of his work at the Matrimandir can be seen at goo.gl/jRdPmw. His remains were buried on January 22nd at the Adventure burial and cremation grounds.
On January 29th, Nisha (K. Nishanthi), who worked as a nurse in Santé, left her body after a prolonged illness in Nallam Clinic. Her husband Raj and other family members were with her. She would have been 30 this year. Hailing from Chidambaram, Nisha came to Auroville and, when working as a nurse in the Pondicherry Institute of Medical Science, PIMS, married Raj, who works as sysop in the Auroville Language Lab. She joined Auroville in 2013 and lived in Inspiration. Being a trained nurse with earlier experience in other hospitals, she came to work in Santé. Nisha’s remains were buried the same day in Auroville’s burial grounds at Adventure.
